Borgo a Mozzano is a village located in the Serchio Valley, in the province of Lucca, made famous by the legend of the Devil's Bridge, whose real name is Ponte della Maddalena. This allows you to walk from one side of the river to the other Serchio river, which laps the small town.
The bridge structure is "donkey back”, Which gives the bridge a particularly picturesque character. Its profile is latch and the arches offer a particularly slender appearance. Over time, many have wondered how it was possible to make it and keep it intact for more than a thousand years of history. The most immediate popular explanation obviously referred to the intervention of Diavolo. According to many, it was the devil who carried out the work.
Ponte del Diavolo, the ancient myth
Various beliefs handed down over the centuries, relating to the bridge. Here is which one is the best known. It seems it was Matilda of Canossa to order its construction in the course of the year 1200. She was an enlightened feudal lord, a great protagonist of the Italian Middle Ages. Between 1300 and 1500 it was restored by Castruccio Castracani, a leader from Lucca. However, it is necessary to wait until XNUMX to obtain documents that refer to the structure as Ponte della Maddalena, its current name.
It seems that it was commissioned to a master builder who was particularly distressed by the delivery times. For many it was about S. Giuliano the Hospitaller. The anxiety about the complexity of the bridge and the minimal delivery times made it an easy prey for the Devil, handed down to the people. He offered his help, taking advantage of a moment of weakness. The bridge would be completed by the devil himself, in exchange for the soul of the first person who would cross it.
The majestic bridge was erected in one night, it is said, but the mason ran to a priest to confess his sin. The man of the church proposed that a beast be crossed first. Some versions show a pig, others a dog. The Devil had to be satisfied with that soul and, angry at the mockery, threw himself into the waters of the Serchio river, vanishing forever.
A second legend
The majestic bridge, which is over 90 meters long, is so impressive that it inspires singers, poets and populace. There is in fact a second famous legend concerning the work. This is related to the name of Lucida Mansi, famous noblewoman. Gorgeous and very rich, she wished she could live forever. Terrified of growing old, she tried any remedy to slow the passage of time, from alchemical discoveries to trips to old sages.
One morning, when he woke up, he realized the appearance of a wrinkle on his face. The cries of her despair chilled the blood. In the evening, while nervously walking along the Devil's Bridge, he met a young woman who promised her 30 years of youth. At the end of this time, however, he would have to give up his soul. Led to the highest point of the bridge, Lucida Mansi saw the young woman transform into the Devil, who threw her into the Serchio. Stories still live today thanks to the traditions passed from generation to generation. A sung treasure that gives the structure a dark and bewitching area, able to constantly attract new tourists.
Source of featured photograph: Ponte della Maddalena, Borgo a Mozzano, Tuscany, Italy - Source: Myrabella CC BY-SA 4.0
